The girl looked troubled. "I admit that matters look black against him," she said slowly. "He threatened the Colonel; he was alone in the house with him, and Mrs. Marsh found him ready to fly. On the other hand there is something to be said in his favour. Evidently he should have had a share in this treasure. For some reason the Colonel would not give it to him during his life, and only afforded him a chance of getting it after Stephen's death--"
"Not even then," interrupted Herrick "for if Stephen had fulfilled the conditions of the will, the fortune would become his absolutely and he would be able to will it away."
"Then I can't understand it," said Bess, "unless Frisco knew of this unjust will--for that it is, if he helped to get the treasure--and murdered the Colonel out of revenge."
"I believe he did," said Stephen.
"No!" put in Dr. Jim briskly, "I do not agree with you. It is my opinion that what Mrs. Marsh said to me before she died was the right view."
"What was that?"
"Frisco and the Colonel fought a duel. I believe that Frisco came back from the inn drunk and filled with fury against the Colonel. It might have been, that through the visit to Mrs. Marsh in the afternoon he had found out all about the will. The Colonel probably defied him, and then Frisco would suggest a duel. He fired first and the Colonel fell with his still loaded weapon in his hand."
"That is all theory," said Bess still defending the ex-sailor, "but you seem to forget Jim that the death shot was fired with that clumsy pistol. If there had been a duel Frisco would have had at least as good a weapon as the Colonel. There are plenty of revolvers of the new pattern in the gun-room. I am sure Frisco would not have placed himself at such a disadvantage. And again the silver bullet. Why should Frisco have used that?"
Dr. Jim rubbed his head with a vexed air. "I am afraid you are right Bess," he said, "a duel is out of the question. I can't see anything ahead. So far as I am concerned, I give up trying to solve the riddle."
"So do I," said Marsh-Carr, "I know now that my poor mother did not kill the man, so that is all I care about. Let the matter rest Herrick. You can send Santiago to Mexico I suppose?"